Blueberry plant ‘EB 8-42’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant, which is denominated varietally hereinafter as ‘EB 8-42’ is described, and which further produces an attractively colored, large fruit, which is mature for harvesting and shipment in the early season under the ecological conditions prevailing in Yanchep, Western Australia.

Latin name: ‘Vaccinium Hybrid’.

Varietal denomination: ‘EB 8-42’.

Related Application Data

The present application claims priority to Australian Plant BreedersRights Application Serial No. 2012/113, and which was filed on 14 Jun.2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new novel and distinct variety ofblueberry plant ‘Vaccinium Hybrid,’ and which has been denominatedvarietally, hereinafter, as ‘EB 8-42’.

ORIGIN AND ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION

The present variety of blueberry plant resulted from an ongoing plantdevelopment program which has been conducted by me at my farm which islocated in Yanchep Springs, in Yanchep, Western Australia. The newvariety of blueberry plant was derived from a controlledcross-pollination conducted by me and made in 2005. The controlledpollination included the seed parent, blueberry plant ‘03-2’[unpatented], and the pollen parent which was the blueberry plant named‘SB-1’ [also unpatented]. This cross-pollination took place in YanchepSprings, Western Australia. The seed parent, blueberry plan ‘03-2’ ischaracterized by a semi-upright bush type growth pattern, and furtherdisplays mid-season flowering, and additionally produces medium to largesized fruit. The pollen parent, blueberry plant ‘SB-1’ is characterizedby a semi-upright growth pattern, large, firm fruit, and further has anearly season of flowering. Seed derived from the ‘03-2’ blueberry plant[unpatented] produced approximately 500 plants. The first fruit producedfrom this first controlled pollination were seen and evaluated in 2007.The fruit and the growth habit of the new variety were then studied atthat time. A further assessment took place during the 2008 growingseason, and the new variety ‘EB 8-42’ was then selected for furtherstudy and asexual propagation. The present variety ‘EB 8-42’ wasasexually reproduced by cuttings during the 2009 to 2012 growingseasons. Progeny produced from this asexual reproduction werecontinuously observed, and it has been determined since that time thatthe new variety, ‘EB 8-42’ is a distinct and novel variety of blueberryplant. The present variety of blueberry plant is noteworthy forproducing extra large sized fruit which is very firm. Still further, thevariety and the fruit thereof has a small, dry picking scar and a goodfruit flavor, as well as early flowering and fruit production dates.

In relative comparison to the seed parent, blueberry plant ‘03-2,’ thenew blueberry variety has an earlier date of fruit maturity than that ofthe blueberry plant ‘03-2,’ which is considered to be mid to lateseason. Additionally, in relative comparison to the blueberry plant‘03-2,’ the fruit produced by the new variety of blueberry is consideredlarge to very large as compared to the parent, which is only medium insize. Additionally, the new variety has a growth habit different fromthe seed parent, that being ‘03-2’, by producing a semi-upright growthhabit as opposed to the spreading growth habit that the seed parentnormally displays. Still further, the present variety produces fruit,having a round shape in contrast to the fruit shape of the seed parent,that being ‘03-2,’ which is globose. In relative comparison to thepollen parent ‘SB-1,’ the fruit maturity, size, growth habit and fruitshape are all different from the pollen parent ‘SB-1.’ Again, the pollenparent matures in the mid to late season, has a medium fruit size, aspreading growth habit, and produces a fruit with a globose shape. Onthe other hand, the new variety of blueberry plant has an early date offruit maturity, has a large to very large fruit size, a semi-uprightgrowth habit, and a round, fruit shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing, which is provided, is a color photograph ofthe new blueberry plant.

FIG. 1 depicts several mature berries sufficiently matured forharvesting and shipment. Several leaves are depicted showing the dorsaland ventral coloration, and a vegetative shoot is shown whichillustrates the growth habit of the new variety of blueberry plant.Still further, the present drawing includes a photograph illustrating arepresentative vegetative shoot and several leaves, and the fruitproduced by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, which is the closest knownvariety to the present new blueberry plant.

The colors in this photograph are as nearly true as is reasonablypossible in a color representation of this type, due to chemicaldevelopment, processing and printing, the leaves and fruit depicted inthis photograph may or may not be accurate when compared to the actualspecimen. For this reason, future color references should be made to thecolor plates provided in The Royal Horticulture Society Colour Chart(5^(th) Edition), and other color descriptions provided hereinafter.

NOT A COMMERCIAL WARRANTY

The following detailed description has been prepared to solely complywith the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, and does not constitute acommercial warranty (either expressed or implied), that the presentvariety will, in the future, display the botanical, horticultural orother characteristics as set forth, hereinafter. Therefore, thisdisclosure may not be relied upon to support any future legal claimsincluding, but not limited to, breach of warranty of merchantability, orfitness for any particular purpose, or non-infringement, which isdirected, in whole, or in part, to the present new variety.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring more specifically to the botanical and horticultural detailsof this new and distinct variety of blueberry plant, the following hasbeen observed during the sixth fruiting season, under the ecologicalconditions prevailing at the farm of the inventor, which is located inthe town of Yanchep Springs in Yanchep, Western Australia. Common colornames are occasionally used.

PLANT

-   Plant vigor: Generally considered medium to strong for the species.-   Plant growth habit: Generally speaking, semi-upright. This is in    contrast to the closest known variety, which is the ‘Sharpeblue’    blueberry plant [unpatented], and which has an upright growth    pattern.-   Plant size: 1.5 meters in height, and about 1.2 meters in width.-   One year old shoots:    -   -   Color.—Yellow-Green, (RHS 138B).-   One year old shoots:    -   -   Internode length.—Considered short to medium in length. This            is in contrast to the internode length as displayed by the            ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, where the internode length is            considered medium to long for the species.

LEAF

-   Leaf length: Considered to be short to average in length relative to    other species, about 58 mm. This is in contrast to the closest known    variety, which displays a leaf length which is considered medium to    long for the species.-   Leaf width: Considered narrow to medium in width, about 24 mm. This    is in contrast to the leaf width as seen in the drawing for the    ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, whose leaves are considered medium to    broad. The different leaf lengths and widths of the new variety as    compared against the closest known variety are best seen in FIG. 1.-   Leaf:    -   -   Ratio to length/width.—Considered large for the species.            This is in contrast to the same ratio of length/width of the            leaves as provided by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant,            which are considered medium to large in size. Please see            FIG. 1.-   Leaf shape: Considered ovate.-   Leaf color:    -   -   Dorsal surface.—Green, (RHS 133A).-   Leaf color intensity:    -   -   Dorsal surface color intensity.—Yellow-green (RHS 148C).            This is in contrast to the same characteristic as displayed            by the leaves of the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant where the            dorsal surface color intensity is considered a light to            medium green.-   Leaf margin: Considered entire.-   Flower bud coloration: Very weak anthocyanin coloration is present.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Length.—Considered medium to long, about 13 mm. This is in            contrast to the closest known variety, the ‘Sharpeblue’            blueberry plant, and which has an inflorescence length,            which is only considered average for the variety.        -   Average flower width.—About 7 mm.-   Flower size:    -   -   Corolla.—Considered average for the species. This is in            contrast to the same characteristic as displayed by the            ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant where the same plant feature is            considered to be medium to large.-   Open flower color: White (RHS NN 155D).-   Corolla tube coloration: A very weak to weak anthocyanin coloration    is displayed. The closest known variety, the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry    plant, displays a similar characteristic which is only considered    weak.-   Corolla length: About 9 mm.-   Flower:    -   -   Ridges.—Generally speaking no ridges are detected on the            corolla tube for the new variety. However, ridges do appear            on the closest known variety, that being the ‘Sharpeblue’            blueberry plant.-   Fruit cluster density:    -   -   Generally.—Considered dense. This is in contrast to the same            characteristic as displayed by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry            plant where the fruit density is considered dense to very            dense.-   Unripe fruit color intensity: Considered average for the new    variety, Yellow-Green (RHS 145A). This is in contrast to the light    to medium green color as found in the fruit produced by the    ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, and which is the closest known    variety.-   Fruit size:    -   -   Generally.—Considered large for the species, about 19 mm.            This is in contrast to the fruit size produced by the            ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, which is only considered            medium for the species.-   Fruit shape:    -   -   Generally.—When viewed in a longitudinal sectional plane,            the fruit has an oblate shape.-   Sepal orientation: Considered semi-erect. This is in contrast to the    closest known variety, the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, where the    sepal orientation is considered to be erect.-   Sepal form:    -   -   Generally.—Incurving. This is in contrast to the closest            known variety where the sepal form is considered to be            straight.-   Calyx basin:    -   -   Diameter.—Considered medium to large for the species, and            having a diameter of about 6.1 mm. This is in contrast to            the fruit produced by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant where            the calyx basin diameter is considered small to medium for            the variety.-   Calyx basin depth: Considered average to deep, about 2 mm. This is    in contrast to the closest known variety, the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry    plant, and which is considered average for the species.-   Intensity of bloom:    -   -   Generally.—The present variety has very strong bloom            intensity. This is a greater bloom intensity than the strong            bloom intensity as displayed by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry            plant, which is the closest known variety.-   Fruit skin color:    -   -   Generally.—Considered to be dark blue (RHS 103A).-   Fruit firmness:    -   -   Generally.—Considered to be firm. This is in contrast to the            fruit produced by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, where            the fruit has a soft to medium fruit firmness.-   Fruit flesh:    -   -   Color.—Yellow-Green (RHS 145C).-   Fruit sweetness: Considered medium to high. This is greater than the    fruit sweetness as typically displayed by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry    plant.-   Color of seeds: Brown (RHS N 200A).-   Fruit acidity:    -   -   Generally.—Considered low to medium. This is in contrast to            the medium fruit acidity as typically displayed by the fruit            of the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, and which is the            closest known variety.-   Plant:    -   -   Fruiting type.—Present on one year old and current season            shoots.-   Vegetative bud burst: Generally speaking, the new variety is    considered very early in the season, and earlier in time than the    vegetative bud burst as displayed by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry    plant.-   Flowering time:    -   -   One year old shoots.—Considered very early in the season and            earlier in time than the flowering characteristics as            displayed by the ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant.-   Flowering time:    -   -   Current year's shoots.—Considered very early in the season,            and earlier in time than that displayed by the “Sharpeblue”            blueberry plant, which is the closest known variety.-   Date of fruit ripening:    -   -   One year old shoots.—Considered very early. In relative            comparison to the closest known variety, the ripening date            is earlier in time to that which is displayed by the            ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant.-   Date of ripening on current year's shoots: Considered very early in    the season, and earlier in time than that which is displayed by the    ‘Sharpeblue’ blueberry plant, and which is the closest known    variety.-   Resistance to insects and disease: No particular susceptibilities    were noted. The present variety has not been tested to expose or    detect any susceptibilities or resistances to any known plant and/or    fruit diseases.

Although the new variety of blueberry plant possesses the describedcharacteristics when grown under the ecological conditions prevailingnear Yanchep Springs, Western Australia, it should be understood thatvariations of the usual magnitude and characteristics incident tochanges in growing conditions, fertilization, pruning, pest control,frost, climatic variables and horticultural management are to beexpected.

Having thus described and illustrated my new variety of blueberry plant,what I claim is new and desire to secure by Plant Letters Patent is: 1.A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant, substantially asillustrated and described, and which is characterized principally as tonovelty by producing an attractively colored and large fruit, which ismature for harvesting and shipment early in the season, and under theecological conditions prevailing in Yanchep, Western Australia.